Step by step guide to the Heritage Gateway

The Heritage Gateway (HG) is a single point of internet access to many different heritage information resources. Data from the West Berkshire Historic Environment Record (HER) can be searched through this portal.

Use this guide if you would like assistance.

1. Are you looking for specific information?

Yes: go to 3.

No: go to 2.

2: Browsing records

In order to just browse records, try entering some words in the Quick Search box on the Heritage Gateway home page. For example, 'Cursus', 'Eastbury' or 'Sandleford Priory'.
 

Now go to: 17.

3. Do you want to find information that only relates to West Berkshire? 

Yes: go to 4.

No: go to 5.

4. Records located in West Berkshire

In order to choose only records which are located in West Berkshire, use the More Detailed Search - this is displayed with 5 tabs on the left hand side (Where, What, When, Who, Resources).

The Where tab has 2 options - click on Admin Location and then enter 'West Berkshire (Unitary Authority)' in the Administrative location box (the name will appear as you type) - click outside the box to set this (there is no entry for the former county of Berkshire).

The Search Summary box at the bottom shows your chosen search terms.

Do you want to refine your search further?

Yes: go to 5.

No: go to 17.

5. Do you want to find information about a particular parish, place or geographical area in West Berkshire or elsewhere?

Yes: go to 6.

No: go to 7.

6. Searching for a parish, place or area

In order to choose a parish, place or geographical area, use the More Detailed Search - this is displayed with 5 tabs on the left hand side (Where, What, When, Who, Resources):

The Where tab has 2 options - Map or Admin Location. Not all HG records are indexed with both a spatial reference and an administrative area, so it is sometimes best to try these options separately. Press the Reset button each time.

Use the Map to locate a place name or postcode and then define a search area within a certain distance of that point. Clicking on Geographical Reference Entry allows you to enter grid references or Latitude and Longitude.

Use the Admin Location tab to enter a name. Parish names will appear in the Administrative location box as you start typing. Other place names can be entered in the box below it. You need to click outside the boxes to set the terms of your search.

The Search Summary box at the bottom shows your chosen search terms.

Do you want to refine your search further?

Yes: go to 7.

No: go to 9.

7. Do you want to find information just from the West Berkshire Historic Environment Record (HER)?

Yes: go to 8.

No: go to 9.

8. Search West Berkshire HER data

In order to choose just West Berkshire HER's data, use the More Detailed Search. This is displayed with 5 tabs on the left hand side (Where, What, When, Who, Resources).

The Resources tab lists all the datasets currently on HG. West Berkshire's HER is in the alphabetical list of Local Records. Click the box next to our name to select it.

The Search Summary box at the bottom shows your chosen search terms.

Do you want to refine your search further?

Yes: go to 9.

No: go to 11.

9. Do you want to find a particular West Berkshire HER Monument record?

(For example, a building, monument, site, place, area, landscape or findspot.)

Yes: go to 10.

No: go to 11.

10. Search using the HER Monument reference number

If you already know the West Berkshire HER Monument reference number (for example, MWB15762), enter this in the Home Page Quick Search box. More than one unique identifier, like this, may be entered if the 'any words' button is selected.

Alternatively, you can add the Monument reference number to this URL (substituting the 'x's highlighted in bold below with the reference number): www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MWBxxxxx&resourceID=1030.

Now go to: 17.

11. Do you want to find information about a type of archaeological site, building or monument?

Yes: go to 12.

No: go to 13.

12. Search a particular type of site, building or monument

In order to choose a particular type of archaeological site, building or monument, use the More Detailed Search. This is displayed with 5 tabs on the left hand side (Where, What, When, Who, Resources).

The What tab contains several structured wordlists, for example: 'All Building and Site Types,' which conform to the Forum on Information Standards in Heritage (FISH) Thesauri. Agreed terms for different Monuments (like a barrow, dovecote or ha ha) are grouped thematically, and the classifications can be seen in detail by clicking on the + symbols to expand groups. Clicking on a thesaurus term (eg Agriculture And Subsistence) will return all the terms below it in the hierarchy. It is therefore advisable to be as specific as possible about the category of site you are interested in.

The text box at the top of the form allows you to type in some words to find matching terms; once found, you need to click outside the box to set the terms of your search.

The Search Summary box at the bottom shows your chosen search terms.

Do you want to refine your search further?

Yes: go to 13.

No: go to 17.

13. Do you want to find information relating to a particular archaeological or historical period?

Yes: go to 14.

No: go to 15.

14. Search a particular archaeological or historical period

In order to choose a particular archaeological or historical period, use the More Detailed Search. This is displayed with 5 tabs on the left hand side (Where, What, When, Who, Resources).

The When tab contains a drop down list of period names, showing the date ranges assigned to each - select a period by clicking on it. If you wish to choose a different date range, individual years can be chosen. Note: both a beginning and ending date need to be entered for successful searching.

The Search Summary box at the bottom shows your chosen search terms.

Do you want to refine your search further?

Yes: go to 13.

No: go to 17.

15. Do you want to find information relating to a person?

Yes: go to 16.

No: go to 17.

16. Search records relating to a particular person

In order to choose records relating to a particular individual, use the More Detailed Search. This is displayed with 5 tabs on the left hand side (Where, What, When, Who, Resources).

The Who tab has a free text box for surnames only. This can be used to search for associated professionals such as architects (for example, G E Street) or archaeologists (for example, OGS Crawford), but also for famous people who may be associated with certain places (for example, Thomas Hardy). The lack of precision in this search means that you may find records for many different individuals with the same surname!

The Search Summary box at the bottom shows your chosen search terms.

Have you found all the search terms you need?

Yes: go to 17.

No: try again.

17. Searching

When you are happy with the criteria chosen, click on Search.

A new page of search results will open, showing first Statutory Data and then Non-Statutory National Data, Local Records,and National Image Collections. There may be matches for your search in any of these datasets. Click on each named resource to see more about the dataset and the results, and then click on any record returned.

A new page will open, showing the individual record. The contents of these will vary according to the resource, but for the West Berkshire HER generally include:

• reference number or UID (unique identifier) and the Monument Name
• a 6 figure grid reference and a hyperlink, so you can see the site on Streetmap
• summary, statuses, description
• the Monument Type(s) with a hyperlink to the FISH Thesaurus, explaining what this means
• the associated sources and further reading
• a list of any related Monuments and a hyperlink to their HG records
• a list of any related fieldwork

A second tab allows you to view the Gateway Results on a map. Note: The West Berkshire HER is not displayed here, and only national datasets will be shown.

Is this enough information for now?

Yes - complete!

No: try again.

These datasets are made accessible to increase understanding and enjoyment of the finite, non-renewable archaeological resource, but are not suitable for use in desk-based studies associated with development, planning and land-use changes. For these purposes and all other commercial enquiries, please complete our online HER enquiry form.